Miami uses SWAT teams and pepper balls to disperse spring break revelers

Pepper-spray balls and SWAT teams were brought in to disperse revelers in Miami on Saturday night as police attempted to enforce an 8 p.m. curfew that was announced earlier in the day.

The actions in South Beach's "High Impact Zone" came as thousands failed to abide by the curfew, according to the Miami Herald.

The outlet reported that Miami Beach Police Chief Richard Clements said that pepper balls were deployed as the crowed started to surge toward authorities, and that police would not have utilized the irritants only to disperse a crowd.

"I think officers felt threatened at the time," he said. "There has to be an element there of either the crowd fighting or coming at officers."